Dr Daniel Kasser Tee - National President of CIMG

CIMG launches 32nd national marketing performance awards

Graphic.com.gh Business News Jul - 08 - 2021 , 15:51

The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG) has launched the 32^nd edition of the CIMG Annual National Marketing Performance Awards.

The Governing Council of CIMG launched the annual awards on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 in Accra.

In an address, the National President of CIMG, Dr Daniel Kasser Tee said the theme the awards is; “Repositioning Ghana to leverage AfCFTA for economic development.”

"It is our expectation, in choosing this theme that nation-Ghana, as a corporate brand, will be repositioned based on its comparative advantages."

This, we believe, will serve as the strongest signal to prompt businesses to channel their resources into producing goods and services for which Ghana, as a collective, has comparative advantages. We cannot derive the required benefits of AfCFTA without first harnessing and marshalling our core competences, as a nation to take advantage in our export drive around the continent, he added.

Below is a copy of his address and other addresses delivered at the launch

ADDRESS BY DR DANIEL KASSER TEE, NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF MARKETING, GHANA DELIVERED AT THE MEDIA LAUNCH OF THE 32ND ANNUAL NATIONAL MARKETING PERFORMANCE AWARDS, HELD ON JULY 06, 2021, VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS

Patrons and Fellows on this call,
Members of the Governing Council,
Members present,
Media Men and Women,
Ladies and Gentlemen.

Good evening to you all.
Permit me to, on behalf of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), and on my own behalf, warmly welcome everybody to the launch of the 32nd edition of the CIMG Annual National Marketing Performance Awards.

As we are all aware, the CIMG awards has today come to be accepted as Ghana’s most prestigious and the longest standing local awards, since its inception in 1990 (for the 1989 financial year). This is partly because the CIMG has been able to successfully organise 31 previous awards without any hitches or controversy. Within the period, the CIMG awards has contributed in building product and corporate brands, as well as personality brands, projecting some of these onto the international arena, where some of them compete favourably with globally known brands.

No wonder, the awards has gained prominence among corporate institutions who will proudly display their wins as a mark of excellence in marketing and business performance. Our teams of evaluators, who are usually selected from industry and academia, cutting across different professions, fields of study and practice, have also been seen as very credible and independent, over the years.

Based on these awards, we have seen many businesses reformulate their corporate strategies and drastically changed their business operating models enabling them to be marketing-oriented by meeting the key requirements of:
• Market focus
• Integrated marketing
• Long term profitability
• Customer orientation

CIMG, under the Chartered Institute of marketing, Ghana Act 2020, (Act 1021), is mandated to, among others, set standards for the practice of marketing, set the agenda for the practice of marketing and champion the role and value of marketing as a critical tool for business development. In view of this new mandate, we commit to investing time and other resources into ensuring innovations and continuous improvements in the awards scheme.
Such improvements will focus on; awards categories, the processes, the systems, the approaches, the selection methods, etc. in order to ensure relevance always. To do this effectively, we usually work through the awards planning committee and our research partners to gather relevant information regarding the changing dynamics of the market place to inform the final decisions of the Governing Council.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
We cannot narrate the success story of the CIMG awards without reference to the benevolence of our donors, the support we receive in diverse ways from sponsors and the solid commitment of the team of assessors.

To the assessors, we thank you eternally for ensuring that the general public continues to have confidence in our awards. To the donors and sponsors, we, first of all, appreciate your continuous contributions, particularly for last year, when despite the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, you stood with us to organise one of the best awards. We will continue to count on your generosity for this year’s awards and for future ones.

As Marketers, we are of the strongest conviction that COVID-19, just as intermittent threats emanating from any macro environmental factor, has over the past one year thought us how to build strong corporate institutions that are resilient and capable of withstanding shocks.

We are forever ready to help corporate brands find new ways to run their business operations, post the external shocks. The wake-up call is for institutions to constantly subject themselves to scrutiny by identifying their strengths and weaknesses and keeping themselves in readiness for shocks and well prepared to take advantage of opportunities.

In view of the above, the CIMG, notwithstanding the continuous presence of COVID-19, is looking ahead by drawing the attention of nation-Ghana and all business entities, particularly those involved in cross-border trade, to the many opportunities to be exploited on the back of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). As we are well aware, the objective of AfCFTA is to, among other things, create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments, paving the way for accelerating the establishment of the Continental Customs Union.

This, certainly, offers opportunities for Ghanaian companies to be early birds by reorganising their efforts, on the international marketing front to take advantage of the situation.

It is in this regard that we have chosen an appropriate theme; “Repositioning Ghana to leverage AfCFTA for economic development” for the 32nd edition of the CIMG Annual National Marketing Performance Awards. It is our expectation, in choosing this theme that nation-Ghana, as a corporate brand, will be repositioned based on its comparative advantages.

To ensure long term success, Ghana must first work at repositioning the nation, based on the best set of comparative advantages in trade across the region. We must also develop local businesses into export champions within Ghana, who will compete favourably with the giants of the continent.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me, on behalf of the Governing Council thank everyone, on this call tonight for making this launch a success and, particularly, our media friends for making time to cover this launch.

It is our hope that you will continue to support us, as you have done for the past 31 years, by giving the deserving prominence to the CIMG awards and all the programmes that we have organised, from time to time.

Enjoy the rest of the evening.
Thank you.

ADDRESS BY MRS AGNES ESSAH, VICE PRESIDENT OF CIMG AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AWARDS PLANNING/SELECTION COMMITTEE AT THE MEDIA LAUNCH OF THE 2021 CIMG ANNUAL NATIONAL MARKETING PERFORMANCE AWARDS ON TUESDAY, JULY 06, 2021

The National President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana

Governing Council and Members of the CIMG

Invited Stakeholders who have joined in virtually

Our friends from the Media in person and virtual

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good evening, on behalf of the Patrons, Fellows, National President, the Governing Council and the entire membership of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), I would like to thank you for honoring the invitation for today’s event.

I am highly honored as the chairman of the Awards Planning and Selection Committee, to brief you, the media, the Ghanaian public and especially the corporate world, on the Institute’s annual national marketing performance awards scheme.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

For over 30 years, the CIMG has consistently held the annual national marketing performance awards with the upcoming one being the 32^nd in the series. As we celebrate 32 years of CIMG awards in our Ruby jubilee, we are proud of what the Institute has accomplished within the corporate world and society at large. We are therefore very glad to be here for another launch, the second time in a virtual form. There is no doubt that the scheme has tremendously grown into what can aptly be described as the benchmark awards scheme in Ghana by which individuals and corporate organizations rate their performances and all award winners are proud to be recognized for the achievements and successes they have chalked. It is evident to the fact that the public and for that matter, the Corporate world endorses what we are doing.

As we take pride in the successes achieved by our awards, I wish to say confidently that the CIMG is very proud of the various landmark achievements, which have contributed immensely towards improvements in organizational and professional performances, and especially so, for practicing marketers.

Being mindful of the achievements, the Institute has resolved to keep the stakes as high and as relevant as possible so that the standards by which we assess individual and corporate performances is not compromised. We are committed to keeping the awards process simple, transparent and fair. It is this level of commitment that has guided us, as a responsive institution, to constantly introduce new and progressive ideas, all aimed at adding value to our processes as well as new award categories.

Five years ago, we introduced an online system for completing the questionnaire by nominees as well as an online assessment for the assessors (judges) who are chosen from various sectors of the corporate world. This set up has made it easy for CIMG to continue to drive a rigorous process even in this Covid-19 era where virtual means of doing things has almost become the norm of getting things done.

This year, we are led by our desire and mission which intends to project Marketing as a tool that is relevant for the development of our nation Ghana. Hence our theme has zeroed in on “Repositioning Ghana to leverage AfCFTA for economic development”.

THE PROCESS

The results of the assessments are compiled by the research partners for final presentation to the governing council of CIMG which makes the final decision on the winners. It should be noted that Council reserves the right not to award a category, especially if the nominations do not meet the standards set.

Some organizations that joined us in the nomination and selection process include the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), MUSIGA, Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU), Institute of Public Relations, Ghana (IPR), Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Private Newspapers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Ghana Advertisers Board (GAB) and many others.

THE AWARDS

The Awards cover 6 major competitive areas:

Hall of Fame,
Personalities,
Media/MARCOMS organisations,
Business organizations,
Products, and
Not-for-Profit organizations

SPECIAL AWARDS

The non-competitive is the CIMG President’s Special awards which are given to a noticeable female and male achiever in any endeavor of life that contributes to national progress.

1.CIMG Hall of Fame

Beginning with this year’s awards (2020), the leadership has decided that all CIMG Hall of Famers must in addition to filling the Corporate Diary answer set questionnaires like other awards contestants for determination of an organisation’s stay in the Hall of Fame.

Thus, your continuous stay and membership of the Hall of Fame is subject to your organisation securing a minimum score of fifty percent (50%) after our independent evaluators have assessed your entry.

Please, be assured that this exercise is meant to further enhance the basis for defending your continued stay in the Hall of Fame. In addition, we have found out that when companies go through the requirements of the questionnaire, it gives them added value and improvement in their operations. And this is what one of the awards contestants said about the requirement for filling a CIMG questionnaire. The contestant, indeed, said; “The requirements of the CIMG awards questionnaire are such that if my organisation complies with the details required without winning an award, the organisation would have benefitted immensely from merely complying with them.

Consequently, we wish to encourage you to fill in the questionnaire for the Hall of Fame members when we serve you in due course for the 2020 CIMG awards.

Categories for consideration are:

Motor Firm of the Year (2 positions)
Retail Outlet of the Year

Insurance Company of the Year – General (2 positions)

Insurance Company of the Year – Life
Bank of the Year
Petroleum Company of the Year

Airline Company of the Year – Domestic

Personalities

Great marketing does not come without hard work and dedication, and we realized that individuals can also shine while creating and running their businesses. It is important to recognize and award these personalities for their good works. For this, we have four personality awards:

Marketing Man of the Year

Marketing Woman of the Year

Marketing Practitioner of the Year (Practicing Marketer)

Marketing Student of the Year (Student Marketer or Recently qualified Marketer)

Media/Marketing Communications

There are 5 awards in the Media/Marcoms organization Categories:

Above the Line Commercial of the Year
Below the Line Commercial of the Year

New Media Commercial of the Year

TV Programme of the Year
Radio Programme of the Year

Business

In the area of business, we will award 28 businesses that have excelled in the following categories:

Marketing-Oriented Insurance Company of the Year – General
Marketing-Oriented Insurance Company of the Year – Life

Marketing-Oriented Hospitality Facility of the Year (Hotels)

Marketing-Oriented Hospitality Facility of the Year, (Allied & Support Services)
Marketing-Oriented Manufacturing Company of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Petroleum Company of the Year

Marketing-Oriented Media Organisation of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Motor Firm of the Year

Marketing-Oriented Bank of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Rural Bank of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Finance Company of the Year

Marketing-Oriented Savings and Loans Company of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Micro-Finance Company of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Agro-Based Company of the Year

Marketing-Oriented Indigenous Catering Facility of the Year

Marketing-Oriented Internet Service Provider of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Telecommunications Company of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Telecommunications Company of the Year (Allied and Support Services)
Overall Marketing-Oriented Company of the Year

Marketing-Oriented Airline of the Year (International)

Marketing-Oriented Airline of the Year (Domestic)
Marketing-Oriented E-Commerce Organisation of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Emerging Digital Media Organisation of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Retail Outlet of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Real Estate Company of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Private Health Facility of the Year
Marketing-Oriented Postal and Courier Service Company of the Year (Domestic)
Marketing-Oriented Postal and Courier Service Company of the Year (International)
Marketing-Oriented Corporate Pensions Trust Company of the Year.

Product

The competitive area of products has two award categories:

Product of the Year (Manufacturing)
Product of the Year (Services)

Emerging Brand of the year

Not-for-Profit Making Organisation

In the area of Not-for-Profit Organisations, we have an award for the Not-for-Profit Making Organisations of the Year.

In summary, a total of fifty-three (53) awards shall be given out to the winners under the above mentioned categories.

THE CRITERIA

The judges and assessors for the year’s event will invest time and effort to ensure these Awards represent the industry’s best and finest standards. The criteria for selecting the winners and benchmarking their performance will include;

Marketing Metrics

Marketing Innovation

Technological Innovation

Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning (STP)

Social Impact

Contribution to Nation Development

Public Image

Success in the Market Place

Market Share

Customer Service Orientation

Ecological/Ethical Issues

Competitor Orientation

The basic considerations that run through all awards evaluation include visibility, corporate social responsibilities and financials.

WHAT IS NEW?

During last year’s marketing awards and very characteristically of our resolve to be innovative and always relevant even amidst a pandemic, we chose to organize the event virtually and heralded it with a Marketing Week celebration a week to the awards event. We shall by God’s grace celebrate the Marketing Week again this year and fuse it with the 40^th anniversary of the CIMG.

Consequently, we shall maintain the decision to communicate, receive answered questionnaires and do the scoring online. Thus, promoting a paperless administration through the use of the internet as we did last year. This also makes life easier for everybody and especially the nominees who no longer must submit volumes of paper works.

Apart from this, our theme is part of our desire to help reposition Ghanaian industries to fully leverage opportunities created by the AfCFTA. As it is usually the case, we shall expect our winners, especially our personality award winners like the Marketing Man and Woman to conceive of a project that they can carry out during their year of being our Marketing Personalities.

CONCLUSION

The CIMG would like to assure all of you that we shall continue to explore ways through which we shall raise the standards of Marketing practice in Ghana.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge the fact that our awards would not have gotten thus far without the collaboration and cooperation of you, our media partners and sponsors. We appreciate your support for all these years. We hope you will continue to step up your coverage for our events, and similarly, our sponsors will continue to collaborate with us. We believe you will continue to revel in the benefits the partnership and or collaboration with CIMG bring to your brands, organisations and personalities.

Thank you all.

MAJOR MILESTONES BY KWABENA AGYEKUM- REGISTRAR/CEO OF CIMG ON MEDIA LAUNCH OF CIMG’S 32^ND ANNUAL NATIONAL MARKETING PERFORMANCE AWARDS

The National President

Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana

Governing Council and Members of the CIMG

Invited Stakeholders who have joined in virtually

Our friends from the Media in-person and virtual

Ladies and Gentlemen

About two decades ago, I never imagined witnessing the 40^th Anniversary celebration of CIMG.

I joined the CIMG ready and willing to work and serve the Institute and mother Ghana. I gave my modest contribution, not in expectation of any huge recognition or reward, yet won the admiration of many, including past Presidents, CEO’s and industry players I came into contact with in my line of work.

I am more than thankful for the opportunity to have witnessed some major milestones in the journey of CIMG for which I will share a few with you;

MAJOR MILESTONES – CIMG

Indeed, we are all aware that the Institute was formed on July 03, 1981.

The Institute’s name changed in 1992 when Chartered was added.
The Ghana School of Marketing was also established on October 15, 1991.
CIMG Consult was established on August 10, 2000.
The Institute purchased its land in February 06, 1996.
Movement of CIMG as follows; From Kingsway to, Swanmill, to GIMPA, NCR and finally the Institute’s own building, situated at Baatsona, Spintex.
The Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana Act, 2020 (ACT 1021) was finally assented to by the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on August 13, 2020 after two decades of consistent persistence.
In the past, the Institute has been largely dependent on our non-core activities for income generation. We are therefore poised to take advantage of the passage of the Act and PMQ which was recently launched to maximize more gains.
During the forty (40) year period, the Institute has been headed by the leadership of nine (9) able Presidents.

I feel blessed to have been part of these history making events and call upon each and every one of us to continue to render our support to making the CIMG more successful than ever.

Thank you very much for your attention.